This invention relates to an amusement device in the form of a sliding puck game with an automatic scoring system.
Heretofore, table games using a bat and a sliding puck have been utilized needing two players to compete. U.S. Pat. No(s). 3,773,325 and 3,887,187 cover the Air Hockey Table and require two players to operate the game. Scoring is accomplished by the puck being driven into the opposing side's goal. The puck is then retrieved by the players and set upon the table to be played again. Scoring is accomplished by electrical means and indicated on the sideboards. Here the game requires two players to operate the table while the locking out mechanism at the end of the game can be overcome by obstructing the goal at each end. The game can be played continuously without interruption except for scoring on the scoreboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,688 also discloses a game requiring two players. Although the game is scored electrically, it is conceivable to play the game using two players without initiating the scoring system. The game is intended to be used as a coin-operated game.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,150 is a two player game that does not lend itself to coin operation. The scoring end of the table, the puck and the paddles are constantly available to be played by anyone that happens to be in the vicinity. Once again, the game cannot be played by an individual player and requires two players to compete against one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,585 discloses a frictionless game table that uses a round ball that rolls back and forth on a table. However, this table may present problems when a puck issued as the game's playing object. The puck when slowly propelled toward the side of the table may become stuck and may stop sliding. This stoppage would interrupt the game.
Another surface sliding puck game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No(s). 2,634,130 and 2,505,238. The games have a projectile device that travels from one end of a table to the other. However, when a puck is used on these tables it may become entrapped under the backboard at one end of the table if not projected with adequate velocity. Further, these games have the drawback that when the game ends, the player may have to walk up to the far end of the table to recover the projectile device before beginning the next game.